EAST BARNWELL HEALTH CENTRE IS A SAFE SURGERY
This means that we are committed to providing equal access to our services for everyone in our practice area, regardless of their immigration status.
This is in line with our duties under NHS England guidelines for GP registration and informed by our knowledge of the barriers to healthcare faced by migrants in vulnerable circumstances. Reception staff should keep the following five guidelines in mind when migrant patients seek to register with our practice.
1. Everyone in England has the right to be registered and consult with a GP, without charge, regardless of their immigration status.
2. If a patient doesn’t have proof of address or ID but say they are living in our catchment area, they should still be registered.
3. If a patient has difficulty communicating in English, use a telephone interpreter
4. Don’t ask about a patient’s immigration status, or to see proof of it. This information is not needed for registration and asking for it might intimidate some patients.
5. If a patient is worried about giving a home address, you can also reassure them that their information is safe and won’t be used to trace them because of their immigration status.